1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a backlight assembly having a plurality of light guide plates. More particularly, exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a backlight assembly capable of preventing movement of the light guide plate to improve display quality of the display apparatus.
2. Discussion of the Background
In general, a liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel that displays an image and a backlight assembly that provides light to the liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal panel includes two transparent substrates and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the two substrates to display the image in response to a variation in the arrangement of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer caused by an electric signal.
The backlight assembly is classified as a direct-illumination type backlight assembly or an edge-illumination type backlight assembly according to the position of the light source. The direct-illumination type backlight assembly has a plurality of light sources located in a region overlapping the liquid crystal panel. However, since a distance between the liquid crystal panel and the light sources is required to uniformly provide light to the liquid crystal panel, the liquid crystal display increases in thickness.
In the edge-illumination type backlight assembly, the light sources are disposed outside the liquid crystal panel while not overlapping the liquid crystal panel in a plan view, and a light guide plate having a constant thickness is used to uniformly provide the liquid crystal panel with light from an exterior. Since light emitted from the light sources is provided to the liquid crystal panel after passing through the light guide plate, brightness in the liquid crystal panel is decreased. In addition, the liquid crystal display is heavier due to the light guide plate.
Recently, a hybrid-type backlight assembly has been suggested to improve deficiencies of the direct-illumination type backlight assembly and the edge-illumination type backlight assembly. The hybrid-type backlight assembly includes a plurality of light emitting units each of which includes a light source that emits light and a light guide plate that receives light from the light source. The light emitting units are disposed under the liquid crystal panel such that each of the light emitting units partially overlaps an adjacent light emitting unit. Thus, a distance between the liquid crystal panel and the light emitting units is reduced, thereby increasing brightness of the liquid crystal display. However, when the light emitting units are disposed in one backlight assembly, the light source and the light guide plate may shift from their original positions. Due to the movement of the light source and the light guide plate, damage to the liquid crystal display may occur.